Mothers Birthstone Pendant

Mothers Birthstone Wire Pendant

There are so many occasions to celebrate Moms and this birthstone project is perfect for all of them. But you don't have to limit yourself to making this gemstone pendant for Moms, since it will look great with a wide variety of beads.

Some other options are to make a chakra pendant with the colors of the chakra, or just choose a favorite bead or gemstone. And if you don't have gemstones on hand, consider using round or rondelle crystals. Bicone crystals could be used too, but they will be harder to align and keep straight, so only use those if have some experience with wire wrapping.

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Birthstone Wire Pendant Materials

Materials are wire for wrapping and birthstones plus wire working tools. Lisa Yang

The exact materials you will need will vary by the beads you select for your pendant. I like to use stones that represent the children's birthstones, but since those stones are often expensive, I look for stones of similar color to make less expensive substitutions.

In this case, I am making a pendant for a Mom who has children with April and May birthdays. Those birthstones are diamond and emerald. While I do have some of each of those stones, the pendant would get very expensive very quickly. Instead, I am using natural zirconia which is similar looking to diamonds and dyed green onyx which is a beautiful deep green similar to emerald. Some other options would have been clear quartz or moonstone for the diamond and chrysoprase or jade for the emeralds. Swarovski crystals also come in a rainbow of colors including popular gemstone shades.

There are also a variety of birthstone charts, so you may be able to find options by reviewing one of those.

In addition to the beads, you will will need about 18 inches of 26g wire for wrapping the stones and piece of 16g or 18g wire for the base of the pendant. My base wire is 1 3/4 inches long of 18g sterling silver and made a finished pendant that is 1 1/2 inches long. You will also need basic wire wrapping tools such as chain nose pliers, round nose pliers, wire cutters, etc.

You will need a chain for your finished pendant.

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Make the Pendant Wire Base

Start with a hammered wire stick. Lisa Yang

Cut the base wire to length and file the ends smooth. Hammer the wire using a chasing hammer and steel bench block. Note that you can hammer the wire using any hammer against a smooth metal surface, but it is more difficult to make it even and straight with those tools. You can even the ends and smooth the edges with an emory board file if necessary.

Secure the Wrapping Wire to the Pendant Base

Begin by securing the wire with three wraps around the hammered stick wire. Lisa Yang

Before starting this step, you will want to decide which end of your stick is the bottom and which side is the front.

Secure the wire to the bottom side of the stick by wrapping three times around. I like to start with the tail end of the wire held on the back of the stick, pointing on an angle towards the top of the hammered stick and wrapping the wire over it to secure it in place.

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Wrap the First Gemstone Bead

Add the gemstone, center it on the stick and wrap to secure. Lisa Yang

When you have finished three wraps, bring your wire towards the front of the hammered wire. Add a gemtone bead and slide it into place, aligning it on the front of the hammered stick.

The only tricky part is that you want to make sure you don't bend the wire until the bead is placed like you want it on the stick. Once the wire is bent, it will be difficult to un-bend and move the bead.

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Wrap Additional Beads to the Wire

Continue to add stones on the wire stick. Lisa Yang

After each bead, wrap around the base wire three times to secure. You can do more or less wraps, but I find three is a good amount to put some space between each of the gemstones. The wire wraps should lay next to each other, not overlap.

Attach Gemstone Beads with Wire

Continue adding beads until you are within 1/2 inch of the end of the base wire. You will need to leave the end unwrapped to make a bail to hang the pendant.

You could leave the pendant like this, but I like to add another row of wraps around the stones up and down the pendant to make them stand out a little more.

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Wrap Wire Around the Gemstone Beads

Wrap around the outside of the gemstones to help them stand out. Lisa Yang

Using the same wire, you will wind the wire around the side of the gemstone, back over the front of the base wire and around once to secure. Where the wire comes out, you will wrap around the side of the next gemstone.

You will be alternating wrapping around the left side of one stone, the right side of the next, until you reach the bottom of the stick where you started wrapping.

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Wrap Back Up Around the Gemstone Beads

Curve the wire around the outside of the gemstone and wrap once between gemstones. Lisa Yang

When you reach the bottom, wrap around the stick and then start wrapping around the open side of the gemstones in the same way until you reach the top of the pendant again.

As you are wrapping around the sides of the beads, do your best to press the wire on the side and shape it into a pleasing curve around the stone.

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Secure the Wire Ends

Trim and tuck the wire ends. Lisa Yang

When you have wrapped to the top of the base wire, wrap the wire around a couple of more times to secure the end. Try to find a place in the back where you can fit the wire between existing wrap and trim the end so it is tucked into place.

If you can't don't worry because when you fold over the end of the base wire to make a pendant bail, it should cover the wire end anyway.

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Make the Pendant Bail

Make the bail to hang the pendant. Lisa Yang

The pendant bail is a simple wire loop. Instead of the regular round loop, I like to use a more teardrop shaped loop. I do this for two reasons - I think the flatter shape helps the pendant hang better and the flat end will cover the wire end that I trimmed in the last step. This prevents having a wire that can poke or scratch when you wear the pendant.

To make the bail, using round nose pliers grasp the wire between 1/8 to 1/4 inch from the end as shown in the picture. Turn your wrist to wrap the wire around the round nose plier away from the beads on the front of the pendant.

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Adjust the Pendant Bail

The bail folds over the loose wires from wrapping, preventing the ends from scratching. Lisa Yang

The pendant bail loop will be teardrop shaped as shown in the picture. Press the flat portion of the wire against the back of the base wire so it is secure and covers the end of the wrap wires.

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Add a Chain to Your Pendant

Pendant with birthstones from April and May (diamonds and emeralds). Lisa Yang

Add a chain to your birthstone pendant and give it as a gift or make one for yourself.

Note that I typically add clasps to chain that I buy, so the pendant is easy to slide onto the chain. If you are using a store bought finished chain that already has clasps attached, you may need to lift the end of the bale slightly to slide the chain into place and then press the end of the wire bail back down to close.

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Mothers Birthstone Pendant Necklace

Mothers birthstone necklace for four children with diamonds, pearl, sapphire and the Mom's birthstone, garnet. Lisa Yang

Here is another version of a Mothers birthstone pendant made using gold wire. I made this for a friend that has four children: two with birthdays in April (Diamond), one with a birthday in June (Pearl) and one in September (Sapphire). I used Zircon to subsitute for diamond again in this necklace. My friend's birthday is in January, so I added some of her birthstone by the clasp and extender chain.